Signal device



I March 26, 1940. c WALLACE ET AL 2,195,374

SIGNAL DEVICE I Filed Oct. 6, 1 936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I VENTOR MHCIM"A'i'TORNEY March 26, 1940. Q WALLAE I 2,195,374

S IGNAL DEVI CE Filed Oct. 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 TO INTEIZIZUPTER22.; ATTORNEY March 26, 1940. I F, LLACE H 2,195,374

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Oct. e, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTCR fi f v MW 9'7MATTORNEY C. F. WALLACE ET AL March 26, 1940.

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Oct. 6

, 1936 4- Sheets- Sheet 4 To INTEItIzUPTEz 1 elm/2' wENToR a ATTORNEYPatented Mar. I

UNlTED STATES T T {OFFICE r I SIGNAL'DEVICE Charles 1F. Wallace,Westfi'eld, and John .R.

MacKay, West-Caldwell, N. J., .assignors to. Wallace &- TiernanProducts, Inc., Belleville,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey" Application October 6,1936, serially).104,1 2

17 Claims, (01.; 177-329 This invention relates to apparatus forautomatically replacing a lamp which has failed, or other electricaldevice orunit which indicates an improper operative condition by areduction or cessation of the electric current normally consumed by it.The invention has been made e'specially with the idea of providing animproved lamp changing apparatus for signal devices which are requiredto operate for long periods of time with out attention. Moreparticularly, the invention aims to provide alamp changing apparatuswhich maybe made to have a large reserve lamp capacity, and especiallyto have such capacity without involving any interference by unused orfailed lamps with the beam of light from'the positioned lamp in a signallight of the 360 Fresnel type and without requiring the use of anuneconcmically large lens; which is suitable'for either fixed light orflashing light signal devices; which will rapidly move the new'lamp intoplace and accurately position it; and which is adapted to the use ofmulti-filament lamps, the shiftrfrom one set of filaments of theseries-of lamps tojanother set being effected automatically. e 1 Thereserve lamp capacity of lamp changing apparatus as heretofore made hasbeen limited by the use of some form of carrier wheel or-table on'whichthe lamp sockets are arranged. This is especially true for signal lightsof the360 Fresnel type. 'If too many lamps are mounted on'a 'carrierwheel, it is necessary to, use an uneconomical- 1y large lens, and inaddition, unused and failed lamps adjacent to the positioned lamp willpro-- a relatively small rotary belt supporuand'the lamps mounted on thecarrier belt are spaced apart sufficiently so that when one lamp is'inoperative position, adjacent lamps on each side thereof will beentirely, outside of the path or zone of light radiated fromthepositioned lamp.

The carrier belt may be of any desired length for supporting any numberof lamps within thespace limits of the apparatus, and is most desirablyan endless belt extending between the lamp position:

ing belt-supporting wheel anda supporting Land driving'rotary member orwheel. Even withthis simple arrangement of the oarrier'loelt,"acompar Inorder to avoid these atively large number oflamps may becarried in acomparatively small space.

In a battery operated signal with lamp changing mechanism it is oftendesir able to operate the lamps with a higher voltage than that forwhich the filament of the lamp is intended. In this way improvedoperation of the signal is obtained with a reduction in operating cost,as is shown by the fact that by overvoltaging the commercial tungstenfilament lamp 25%, a 100% increase in candle power may be obtained withless than increase in wattdevice provided H age and with only about 90%decrease in the life I of the lamp. The same increase inefficiency couldbe obtained by using a lamp designed to operate at an increased filamenttemperature, but such lamps are not at the present time generallyvavailable. So far as we are aware, little practical use has been made inthe signalfield of over-voltaging filament lamps to obtain greatlyincreased light radiation with a relatively slight increase in powerconsumption, as' previous lamp changing mechanisms have lackedsuflicient -'reserve capacity to compensate for the reduced life of thelamps in operating in this manner. ,Because'of the greatly increasedreserve lamp capacity made possible by the present invention, and inaddition, I because of the use-of multi-filamentlamps made possible bythe present invention, full advantage may be takeniof'thisover-voltaging method'of operation.

In lamp changing apparatus heretofore in use, 5

so far as we are aware, the lamp carrier has been moved either by astepping magnet connected in parallelwith the positionedlamp andcontrolled by a relay inseries with the lamp, or by weight orspring-driven motor means controlled bysuch astepping magnet, or by aweight or spring-driven motor means controlled merely by a trippingdevice operated by a relay in series with the lamp.

The stepping magnet requires an intermittent current and thisarrangement can, therefore, be

used only with a flashing light, and in addition,

as the rapidity of lamp change depends on the:

periodicity of current impulse, when this device is used with a slowlyflashing light the period ofchange during which no lamp is fiashingmaybe sufilcientto cause trouble. The use of a spring or 0 weight drive forthelamp carrier is objectionable for the reason that only a limitednumber of I revolutions of the driven member can take place, so that,unless made unsuitably large, such a driving means has notsufficient'rotational reserve to assure the break-down by continuedoperation and repeated wiping of any high-resistindexing contacts of thelamp carrier, and, furthermore, jarring such as may happen in heavyweather to a signal apparatusmounted on a buoy -may cause the trip to bereleased, and such devices require manual rewinding with the risk ofinattention.

The carrier driving means of the present in vention is adapted for bothsteadylight and flashing light signal devices, and when used withflashing light devices operates independently of the duration andperiodicity of the impulses of the signal current, moves the carrierrapidly until a new lamp is positioned and. connected in, the

lighting circuit and'then stops with the new lamp accurately positioned,consumes comparatively little current, and will continue in operation tobreak down by repeated wiping any high resistance film from theindexing, or lamp-positioning,

invention Fig. 2 is a back view or view looking from the left of Fig.1', partly brokenv away and with'parts omitted; l

Fig. 3 a side view looking from the right in Fig. 2 with the parts shownin section.

Fig. 4 is a front view, looking from the right [of Fig. .3, the cover ofthe box containing the driving motor being removed.

Fig. 4a is an enlarged detail sectional view of certain parts appearingin Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the mounting means fortwo'contact-carrying springs.

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the apparatus of Fig-s. 1 to 5.

"Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are, respectively, back, side and frontviews ofapparatus according to the invent-ion designed for the use ofmulti-filament lamps.

Fig. "7c isa detail part-sectiona1 view of certain parts appearing inFig. '7; v

Fig. 10 is the Wiring diagram of the apparatus "of Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

Fig. 11 is. the wiring diagram of a multi-filament' type lamp changeremploying thermostatic means for changing from one set of filaments toanother set.

Fig. '12 is the wiring diagram of a multi-iilament lamp changeremploying electromagnetic means for effecting change from one set orfila ments to another set.

Fig. ,13 shows in elevation a modified form of reciprocatory drivingmotor. I

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figs.

1 .to 6, the marine beacon shown in Fig. 1- comprises a housing itclosed at its lower end and supporting at its upper openend a lenssupport casting H on which is mounted a Fresnel lens l2 closed at thetop. Mounted within the housing and lensisupport is the changingapparatus shownin Figs. 2 to 6.

The lamp changingmechanism comprises endless lamp-carrying belt formedof a plurality of flat plates 55 pivotally connected at their edges. Thecarrier belt is mounted on two rotary sup.- ports, It and ll, mounted ona vertical support l8. Theupper support It is formed of two spaced tweenadjacent supporting rods.

strip or brush 35 on the axle 24.

ance film which may form on the positioning or v mounted one metal axle24 extending from and insulated from the support l8, the threaded endof: the axle rod extending through insulating washers 25 and beingsecured by a nut 28. The

netal'disc 22 has a central opening of such size that it does not'makecontact with the axle.

The carrier belt is supported on. the rods 23 and thesecarrie'rsupporting rods are spaced ac-' cording to the length of the carrierplates so that the carrier belt will turn about the support with itsplates successively bridging the space be- Each of the carrier platescarries a filament lamp 351, and as the carrier belt is moved and turnsabout the support 16 the lamps willbe successively positioned with theirfilaments at the focal point ofthe lens l2 at each successive quarterrotation of the support, ale-mp being so positioned in the apparatusshown when its plate I5 is horizontal and the lamp extends verticallyupward therefrom. a

As shown, and most-desirably, the lamps are of thekind having ago-calledprefocused base, and for such lamps each. carrier plate has anopening toreceive th end of thelamp base and three headed studs 3! arranged aboutthe opening, and the plate is. slotted from the openingto form threefingers 3'3 which are bent upward to serve as springs. The studs enterthe slots in the focusing flange 33 of the lamp base and thespringfingers 32 press the flange against the stud heads and hold the lamp inposition with relation to the plate. 7 For lamps of :other types othersockets 1 will, of course, be provided.

. The contact terminal at the end of the base of the positioned lampengages a flexible contact Connection to the side terminal of' the lampis made from the disc 22 through the supporting rods 23 and carrierplate Hi." The disc 2 of insulating material has four indexing contacts36 each formed by a short wire orother contact piece, most desirably ofrare metal, set below the surface of the disc in a radial groove 37 inits outer face, the contact piece extendingthrough the disc and beingconductivelyconnected to the metal disc 22, as shown best by'Figs. 4 and4a. These contacts 3'6 are equallysnaced circumferentially of the disc.A contact '33 carried by a spring 39 bears against the disc 28 and isshaped and positioned so that when a lamp has been moved into positionthe contact 33 will enter one of the grooves 31 and engage the. contact36 therein to close the lamp circuit. As the disc 2! begins to turnwhenthe carrier moves to position a new lamp, the contact 2: 3 by itsengagement with the side of the groove is immediately'pushed away fromthe contact 36 andoutof the groove and then rides on the face of thedisc until another lamp has the carrier driving motor hereinafterdescribed.

Thus ,w'vhen'ever a lamp is positioned in the lens i2, contact 33 willengage one of the contacts $6 to complete the circuit to the lamp, anddur-' ing the lamp-changing movement of the carrier a motor circuit willbe completed between contacts 38 and 40. l

The contact-carrying springs 39 and 4! are mounted on the support i8 bymeans of bolts 42 and 43, the spring 39 being conductively conspring isheld by the bolt 42 between the tioned lamp is operative and to permitthe driv nected to the bolt 42 and insulated from bolt 43,

and spring 5! being conductively. connected to bolt 43 and insulatedfrom bolt 4-2, and both bolts being insulated from the support it byins'ulating washers M. The, spring 35! is-held by the bolt 43 between'awasher 45 and a bushing Q8 both of insulating material, and the spring Mis held by this bolt between the washer wand a threaded metal washer 4'!through which it is conductively connected to thebolt; and the washer 44and an insulating bushing id, while the spring 39 is held by the bolt 32in electrical contact therewith between the head of the bolt and thebushing 48. The bolts are held fast in the support I8 by nuts M. Thebolts l2 and 43, in addition to holding the contact springs 39 and 4 lserve as contact terminals for the springs to which conductors areconnected as shown in Fig. 4. 1

The lower carrier support IT is of similar construction to the uppersupport it, being formed by two spaced discsiil and El and four equallyspaced supporting rods 52,-and is mounted to turn on an axle 53extending from the support !8. The discs and 5! are desirably, althoughnot necessarily, of insulating material. The support ll serves as thedrive wheel for the carrier belt, and is driven by a driving motor 55,the

drive shaft fifi of which-carries a pinion 5'! which drives a gear 58attached to the disc 5| of the support.

The circuit to the driving motor is controlled when a lamp is inposition by a quick acting relay connected in the lamp circuit. inseries with the lamp, this relay acting to preventxoperation of thedriving motor so long as the posiing motor to operate when there is noflow of current through the lamp circuit because of failure of thepositioned lamp; This control by the quick acting relay is mostdesirably by opening the circuit to the driving motor, the driving motorbeing slower acting than the relay. The driving motor is, however, amotor which operates continuously so. long as, it is supplied withcurrent, and it is desirable, therefore, that it should have acontinuous current supply for effecting the movement ofthe lamp carrierand not be dependent on the. intermittent current. In the constructionshown, whenthe lamp car- 'rier is first moved by the driving motorenergized tween the springs 39 and H through contact 60 immediatelyestablishes a circuit whereby current is continuously supplied tothedriving motor so that its operation then continues until a live lamp isagain positioned by the carrier, the carrier belt being movedcomparatively rap idly but steadily, its movement being independent ofthe duration-and periodicity of the current impulses of the intermittentsignal current. I In u this lamp positioning movement ofthe carrier,when the indexing contact 38 enters any one of the grooves 31 of thedisc 2| the supply-0i con tinuous current to the driving motor is interrupted and the motor then operates on the inmovement to the'carrierrequired for positioning the lamp; and in the eventthat thelamp'moved into position is a dead lamp, the motor will-oper- 1 ate onthe intermittent current until the index ing'contact is forced out ofthe groove 31 and contact 46 is closed again for the supply ofcontinuous current to the motor. l

In the apparatus shown, the driving motor is a vibratory motorconsisting of an electromagnet tll having a vibratory armature 6ibyiwhich the I tain the armature in operation so long as the magnet isconnected in circuit to a source of current Most desirably and as shown,instead of providing for thispurpose a separateswitch in addition to theswitch or contact device con-1 trolled by the quick actingrela'y foropening the circuit to the motor magnet whilethe current is flowing inthe lamp circuit, oneswitch is operated by both magnets for serving bothpurposes.

As shown in Figs. 3 and l, the relay 55 connected in the lamp circuit inseries with the lamp is mounted adjacent to the motor ma'gnet 60, andits armature 6 when retracted by its spring 67 closes the circuit to themotor magnet through a stationary contactfiB, and, when the relayisenergizecl by flow of current through the lamp .cir-

cult and its armature attracted, the circuit to the motor magnet isbroken at the contact 68 and operation of the slower-acting motor magnetis prevented.

This switch formed by the relay. armature 66 and the stationary contact68 is'operated by the motor armature 6| through a connecting plate iii.

which extends between the two armatures. A. finger l' l on thearmature-El extends through an opening in' th'e lower'end of thetplatel'fl, the dimension of which in the direction of the length oftheplateis greater than the thickness of the finger; and-the end oftherelay armature 65 extends through a similar opening near the otherend of the plate 10 the dimension of which lengthwise of. the plate isgreater than the thickness of the armature in the same direction. Theplate ll! extends between twofriction washers 12 of felt'or othersuitable material the'pressure of which on the strip maybe adjustedbymeans of a nut l3 on a stud extending from the end of the relay magnetcore and acting through a coiled spring i l bearing against the outerwashers The relay armature willthus be free to move up and down in itsslot in the connecting plate or strip 10 tomake and breakpcontact withstationary contact 63 so long as the motor, magnet is not energized..When, however, current flows to the motor magnet when: the switch 88 isclosed, I

the connecting strip 10 will be drawn downward I toopen switch 68 as.themotor, armature ap-' proachesthe end of its movement toward'itsmagnet pole, thus breaking the motor circuit. The motor magnet beingthus deenergized, its

armature is retracted by its spring, and,'as it approaches the end ofits movement away. from the magnet pole, it permits the relay armatureto close its contact 68 again.

Current for both the lamp and the driving motor is supplied from abattery. 80, and the battery ourrent'is converted into an intermittentdescribed by reference to. Fig. 6. Assuming that a high spot of theprogram wheel 8i has closed the interrupter switch S2 and that thepositioned lamp 3E inworking condition, intermittent current will flowto the lamp as follows: the positive side of the battery, throughconductor (ll, interrupter switch conductor 17, and by contact to thelamp, and from the lamp through brush conductor 0, relay magnet coil andby conductor it back-to the negative pole of the battery. At eachclosing of the lamp cirbefore there is sufficient flow of currentthrough the motor magnet coil to cause movement of its ainiature Bi. Onfailure of the filament of the positioned lamp, however, currentwillflow -at thenext closing of the interrupter switch 82,

from the, positive side of the battery through conductor a, switch andconductor b, to the motor magnet coil 8?}, and thence by conductor e toswitch which, because of the lamp having failed, will be closed, andthence, through conductor d, back to the battery.

Immediately upon energization of the motor magnet, the ratchet wheel 63is operated to cause movement of the carrier belt, thereby moving thediscZl of the upper belt support and causing, .the contact 38 to beforced backout of the groove 3? in the disc iii to open the lamp circuitat this point and to make connection with the contact 28, therebyicy-passing the current inter- :upting switch by establishing a circuitas fol lows for supplying current continuously to the motor magnet: Fron the positive side of the battery, through conductor f, contact ill,and condue-tor b, to motor magnet coil 69, and thence by conductor 6,switch 56- 58, and conductor d, back to the battery, the switch 56-68being then operated by the motor armature 68 to maintain the armature invibration. Movement of the carrier will then continue regardless of theoperation of the interrupter 32 until a new lamp is brought intoposition, whereupon the contact 38 will move into a notch ill or thedisc 25 to close the lamp circuit at this point, at the same timeopening the circuit at contact 223 to stop the supply of continuouscurrent to the driving motor. If the newly positioned lamp is in workingcondition, operation of the driving motor will immediately cease andflashing of the lamp will start and continue until the new lamp fails.If the newly positioned should not be a working, current-consuming lamp,the driving motor will again be operated by the intermittent currentuntil the lamp carrier has moved sufficiently to cause the lamp circuitto be opened again at contact 33 and the continuous current circuit tofilamentlamps.

paratus, because of the new belt carrier, may be given size fitted withmulti-filament lamps willv obviously be double that of the sameapparatus fitted with single filament lamps, provided each filament ofdouble filament lamps givesthe same length of service as the filament ofthe single Obviously, the use of multifilament lamps in accordance withthe invention i not limited to lamp changing apparatus having the newbelt carrier;

1 Referring now to Figs. 7 to 10, the apparatus shownvby these figuresis the same as that of Figs. 1 to 8 except for changes which adapt it tothe use of inulti-nlarnent lamps and that the driving motor of themodified form shown in Fig. 13. The particular apparatus shown in thesefigures is for lamps having two filaments H38 and two contact terminals,one for each filaniert at the end of the base of the lamp, and a commonterminal for both filaments formed by the side wall of the base. Theaxle Mo on which the belt support i5 is mounted in this apparatus ismade hollow to accommodate insulated conductors it? and i 93 which leadfrom two brushes lt l and 9&5 mounted on the axle in position to en agethe two end contact terminals of the positioned lamp. The brushes areinsulated from the axle by being mounted on a sleeve tilt of insulatedmaterial, and as the carrier supporting rods of the rotary support italso are in.

sulated from the axle, it is not necessary that the axle be insulatedfronithe support ill.

The conductorsv and i9 3 lead to a switch by which eitheroi thebrusheslii l and Hit may be connected in the lamp circuit. The switchcomprises two contacts Hi8 and mounted on a plate iii) of insulatingmaterial fixed to the support 98 and a pivoted switch arm ii i alsomounteitherof the contacts with which it is engaged while permittingeither contact to the other., arm engages contact itt, the lamp circuitwill include the brush lot and the filament Hit or" each successivelypositioned lamp, and when the switch arm engages the other contactloathe lamp circuit will include the brush tile andthe other shiftingthe switch arnifrom contact N38 to contact lot, the arm has an operatingarm or projection H2 which, when the switch arm is in engagement withcontact m8 as shown in Fig. '7, extends into the path of upward movementof a pin lit} carried by one of the carrier plates I5 so to be moved.thereby to throw the switch arm awayfrom the contact 1% and into enagement with the contact N19. The part of the pin H3 which engages thearm H2 is of insulating material, and in order that it may be attachedto any one of the carrier plates the pin is made as it to be moved atwill from When the switch shown in Fig. 7a and each carrier plate has ahole II4 into which the reduced threaded end of the pinmay be placed andthen secured by its cap or nut. 1 1

Assuming that the carrier has been supplied with a full complement ofnewlamps and that the switch arm II I is in the position to engagecontact I08 as shown by full lines in Fig. '7, the switch actuating pinI I3 is attached to one of the carrier plates on the upwardly movingside or" the carrier to be located just above thearm I I2. arm will thenremain'in engagement: with the contact I08 while the carrier makes onefull revolution to position all of the lamps successively with the brushI05 in the lamp carrier. This movement of the carrier will bring theactuating pin H3 to a position just beneatlrthe arm H2.

Then during the next movement of the carrier,

' whereby the first lamp of the series is again moved into operatingposition, the actuating pin will strike the arm H2 and move-it upward,throwing the switch arm I I I away from the contact I08 and intoengagement with the contact I as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7 'sothat when the first lamp of the series is moved into operating positionfor the second time the lamp circuit will be completed through the brushI and the second filament of the lamp. The switch will then remain inthis position as the lamps are 1 again successively positioned forlighting from the second set of filaments.

Referring to Fig. which shows the wiring diagram for the apparatus ofFigs. 7 to 9, current flows through the lamp filament 00 when the 1switch Ii i is ,in its first position as shown in this figureand inFigs. '7, 8 and 9 as follows:

1 From the positive side of the battery 80 through conductor. a,interrupter switch 82, conductor b, and by contact 38 to the sideterminal of the lamp and then through filament I00 to brush I04 and byconductor I02 to switch contact I08 and then from the switch throughconductor 0, relay magnet coil 65, and conductor d, back to the negativeside of the battery.' That isthe lamp circuit so longas the switchremains in its first position as shown, the circuit flowing at eachcurrent impulse through the filament I00 of the lamp: which is inoperating position, and upon failure of the filament I00 of thepositioned lamp, the lamp carrier" being shifted as described inconnection with.

Fig. 6 to bring the next lamp into operative position. Then when thefirst filaments I00 of the series of lamps have been used, the actuatingpin II3 on the next lamp changing movement of the carrier strikes thearm I I2 and throws the switch away iromthe contact I08 and intoengagement with contact I09, and thereafter circuit is closed at eachcurrent impulse to the second filament I0-I of the successivelypositioned lamps, the circuit being as before, except that brush I05 andconductor I03 and contact I09 are included in the circuit in place ofthe brush I04 and conductor I02 and contact I08.

In Fig. 11 there is illustrated diagrammatically a two-filament lampchanging apparatus similar to the apparatus of Figs. '7 to 10 in thearrangement of the lamp carrier and the means for moving the carrier forpositioning the lamps successively, but having a thermostatic means forefiecting'change over from one set of lamp filaments to the other. Forthe sake of simplicity, the apparatus is illustrated as a steady lightapparatus, the current interrupter of the apparatusiofv Figs. 1 to 10for producing a flashing light being omitted. Obviously, however, theap- The switch s The change from one set of lamp filaments to the otherin the apparatus of Fig. 11 is effected by means of a switch lever I50carrying a contact which moves between two fixed contacts I52 and 453.shown in Fig. 11, the lamp circuit is through contact I 52, conductorI02 and brush 104 to the lamp filament I00 of the positionedlamp. Theswitch lever I50 is held in this position by means of a When the switchisin its first position as bi-metallic strip I54 mounted with one endsecured and with its free end extending when the strip is not heated toengage the endof the switch lever I50 and hold it, against the tensionof a spring I55, in position with its contact engaging the fixed contactI52; When the strip I55 is heated sufiiciently, its free end moves inthe direction of the arrow far enough to release the switch lever whichis then moved by spring I55 away from thecontact I52 and into engagementwith contact I53. i

A resistance wire coil I50 is positioned to heat the bi-metallic stripI54 and connected across the battery in parallel with the motor "magnetcoil 00, so that the flow of current through this heating coiliscontrolled the same as the flow of cur-.

rent through the motor magnet coil by the armature of the relay magnet55.

So long as current f y can flow through the lamp circuit, therefore, theheating coil does not'become heated, and it is so proportioned that thetime required for heating the oi-metallic strinsufficiently to cause itto move its' free end'from under the end of'theu switch lever I50 isgreater than the time normally a Y required for moving a lamp having aburned out filament out of. the operative position and bringing a newlamp into operative position. If, for example, it takes ten seconds forthe lamp changing mechanism to remove a. lamp and position another, thethermostatic device should be designed to release the switch lever afterthe heatg ing coil has had the current flowing through it for a periodgreater thanten seconds.

In the normal operation of the apparatus of Fig. 11, therefore, when afilament of a positioned of the first set of filaments of thelamps haveI burned out and the carrier is moved after failure of the last lamp inseries, the lamp circuit will not be re-established by the next lampthat is moved into position and the movement of the carrier will becontinued, and because of the longer flow of current through the heatingcoil, the bi-metallic strip will be heated. sufiiciently to" cause it torelease the switch lever I and permit it under the pull of the spring Ito move into engagement with the contact I53. 'Connection is thenestablished from the conductor etc the brush I05, so that'when the nextlamp is positioned circuit will be completed through its second filamentIOI. The operation of the apparatus will then continue, the secondfilament of the lamps being used as the lamps are again. successivelypositioned.

Fig. 12 shows diagrammatically an apparatus similar to that of Fig. 11,except that in place and when the switch is in engagement with contact293, the lamp circuitis closed through the conductor Hi3 and brush 35 tothe other filament 805 of the positioned lamp. A spring 2% tends to holdthe switch in engagement with the contact 2%, and when the switch beenmoved into engagement with contact 2% it is held in such engagement by alatch 255.

The switch lever ismoved from contact 2632' to contact 2&3 by means of amagnet of which the coil is connected across the battery terminals inparallel with the motor magnet coil 56. Thismagnet 2% is a slow actingmagnet which will not be energized to shift the switch lever during thenormal period required for operation-of the lamp changing mechanism toremove a failed lamp and position a. new one. In the construction shown,in order to get the required delay in operation of this magnet, aresistance 26,? is connected in series with the magnet coil and acondenser 26% is shunted across the coil.

When the normal lamp changing operation takes about ten seconds, thevalues of resistance and capacity are desirably so proportioned thatthere will be a delay oi substantially more than ten seconds beforesufficient voltage will build up across the windings of the coil 2% i tocause the magnet to shift the switch lever.

- When the switch lever is in its first position, as shown in Fig. 12,for causing the lighting current to flow through the filament lite ofthe positioned lamps, in normal lamp changing operations the currentlimiting resistance 28? will preventthe condenser 2% from being chargedsufficiently to permit suificient current to flow through the coil 2% tocause shifting of the switch lever, but after the last of the first setof lamp filaments have failed the lamp changing motor will continue inoperation and the condenser will become fully char ed and the voltageacross the windings of the coil will build up to a value sufficient toshift the switch lever against the pull of spring 2813 into engagementwith the'ccntact 263, in which position it will be held by the latchThen when the next lamp is moved into operative position, the lampcircuit will be. completed through its unused filament l6! and theoperation of the lamp changing motor will be stopped, and the apparatuswill continue as before, the filaments it! of the successivelypositioned lamps being used.

The modified form of reciprocatory driving motor shown in Fig. 13diliers from that of Figs. 3 and 4 principally in the means whereby thearmature of the quicbacting relay, which serves to out off flow ofcurrent to the -motor magnet when current flows through the lampcircuit, is operated by themotor magnet armature to make and breakcircuit for maintaining the motor in operation. Instead of having a lostmotion connection between the armatures of the motor magnet and of thequick-acting relay by means of a connecting. member movable againstrestraining friction as in the motor of 3 and 4 and as indicated in thewiring diagrams, theme.-

tor magnet 69c and the relay magnet 85a are mounted at right angles toeach other, and the free end of the armature 61a of the motor magnet isshaped to act as a cam against an abutment or finger an on the armatureand movable switch member 66a, to move this armature and switch memberto carry its contact end away from the fixed contact 880, as thearmature tla makes its inward movement under the pull of the motormagnet, and to permit the armature and switch member 66a to return underthe pull of its spring tla to its circuit closing. position engaging thecontact tlia, as the armature 61a makes its return movement. Theinductance of the motor magnet and its mechanical inertia are madesufficiently high to obtain complete and relatively slow movements ofthe armature cm, the inertia of the armature 610, being suificient sothat it makes the necessary full movements in each direction even thoughthe motor magnet circuit is opened and closed by the switch Gila-453abefore the armature reaches the end of its movement in the respectivedirections.

As in the case of the motor of Figs. 3 and 4, the lighting currentnormally flows to the lamp through the winding of the relay 65a causingits armature 66a to open the circuit to the motor magnet at contact 8864before there has been any flow of current through the winding of themotor magnet sufiicient to cause any appreciable movement of itsarmature. When, however, the positioned lamp fails, or, if the motor isused otherwise than in apparatus such as shown, if for any reasoncurrent does not fiow through the circuit in which the relay magnet isconnected in series with suihcient force to energize the relay magnet,then the relay magnet will not open the motor magnet circuit and themotor will operate to position a new lamp, or, when used otherwise thanin apparatus such as shown, to re-establish a condition in which currentfiows through the circuit in which the relay magnet is connected inseries with sufficient force to energize the relay magnet.

It is to be understood that the invention is 1 not to be limited to theexact constructions, ar-

rangements and combinations 'of parts shown, but that it includeschanges and modifications -thereof within the claims, and that featuresof the invention as claimed may be used independently of and apart fromother features with which they are combined in the illustratedapparatus.

With regard to the driving motor, while the vibratory motors describedembody features of the invention and are especially adapted for use inlamp changing apparatus embodying other features of the invention, it isobvious that the apparatus does not require the use of this particularkind of vibratory motor or of a vibratory motor of any kind, but thatmotors of other types might be used.

Fresnel lens, of a rotary support, acarrier belt mounted on andturnedabout said support, a

plurality of lamps mounted onthe carrier belt spaced longitudinallythereof and extending at right angles thereto,said support beingso'positioned with relation to the lens that by rotation 'of the supportand movement of the carrier belt the lamps may successively bepositioned to extend radially of the axis of the supp-ort'with theirfilaments at the focal point of the lens, means for connecting thepositioned lamp in the lamp circuit, and means Operative: on failure ofthe positioned lamp to move the carrier belt to position a succeedinglamp.

v 3. A signal device, comprising a carrier belt for a plurality of lampsmovable for positioning thelamps successively formed by a plurality ofplates pivotally connected edgetoedge and each a plurality of lampsthereon spaced longitudinally thereof, the belt being, movable forpositioning the lamps successively and being formed by a plurality ofplates pivotally connected'edge to edge, a rotary support about which,the carrier,

belt turns, means for connecting the positioned lamp in the lampcircuit, and means operative on failure of the positioned lamp to movethe carrier belt to position a succeeding lamp.

5. A signal device, comprising a carrier belt for a plurality of lampsmovable for positioning the lamps successively, said belt being formedby a plurality of plates pivotally connected edge to edge and eachhaving a lamp socket, a rotary belt positioned that the positioned lampextends radially of the support axis, lamp circuit contact terminals oneof which is in position to be 'engaged by the end terminalgof thepositioned lamp and the other of which is in' position to-be engaged bya contact carried by said belt support when a lamp is in position, thebelt support having one such contact for each peripheral por-v tionthereof on which one of the plates of the carrier belt can rest, andsaid contacts being conductively connected with the side terminals oflamps carried by the belt plates resting on the support, and meansoperative on failure of the positioned lamp to move the carrier belt toposi-" tion a succeeding lamp.

6. A signal device, comprising a carrier belt having a plurality of lampsockets for mounting a plurality of lamps thereon spaced longitudinallythereof, the-beltbeing movable for positioning the lamps successivelyand being formed by a plurality of plates pivotally connected edge toedge, a' rotary belt support about which the carrier belt turns so;positioned that the positioned lamp extends'radially of the support,lamp circuit contact terminals one of which is in position to be engagedby the end terminal of the positioned lamp and the other of which is inposition to be engaged by a contact carried 7 by said belt support whena lamp is in position, the belt support having one such contact for eachperipheral portion thereof: on which a lamp-carrying plate of thecarrier belt canrest,

and said contacts being ccnductively connected operative on failure ofthe positioned lamp to move thercarrier belt to position a succeedinglamp.

"'7. A signal device, comprising a carrier for a plurality of lampsmovable for positioning the lamps successively, a plurality ofmulti-fila'ment lamps mounted: on the carrier, means for connecting asingle filament of the positioned lamp in a lamp circuit including asource of energy, means operative on failureof the circuit-connectedfilamentof the positioned lamp to move the carrier to position asucceeding lamp, a selective switch, for-determining which filament of a1 positioned lamp is connected in the lamp circuit,

and means for automatically operating said switch after anumber of thelamps have been lamps successively, a plurality of multi-filament lampsmounted. on ;the carrier, means for connecting a single filament of thepositioned lamp in a lamp circuit including a source of energy,

.means operative on failure of the circuit-connected filament of thepositioned lamp'to move the carrier "to position a succeeding lamp,aselectivc switch for transposing said circuit to include an alternativefilament of the positioned lamps,*ancl means on the carrier forcontrolling 'theoperation'of. said switch.

9. A signal device, comprising a carrier for a plurality of lampsmovable for positioning the lamps sucwssively, a plurality ofmulti-filament lamps mounted on the carrier, means for connecting asingle filament of the positioned lamp in a lamp circuit including asource of energy,

support about. which the carrier belt turns so la p Changing meansOperative 0T1 fa ureof the circuit-connected filament of the positionedlamp to move the carrier until a live lamp has been positioned, aselective switch for transposing said circuit to include an alternativefilament of the positioned lamps, and delayed action means for causingoperation of said switch only after. the lamp changing means hasoperated for a time greater than that required for movin one new lampinto position.

* 10. 'A signal device, comprising a carrier for a plurality of lampsmovable for positioning the lamps successively, a plurality ofmulti-filament lamps mounted on the carrier, means for connecting asingle filament on the positioned lamp in a lamp circuit includinga'sou'rce of energy, lamp changing means operative on failure of thecircuit-connected filament of the positioned lamp to move the carrieruntil a live lamp has been positioned, a selective switch fortransposing said circuit to include an alternative filameans foroperating said switch only after the lamp changing means has operatedfor -a time greater than that required for moving one new ina lampcircuit including a source of energy,

lamp changing means operative on failure of the circuit-connectedfilament of the positioned lamp to move the carrier until a live lamphas been positioned, a selective switchfor transpos- 60 ment of thepositioned lamps, and thermoelectric ing said circuit to include analternative filament of the positioned lamps, and electromagnetic meansfor operating said switch only after the lamp changing means hasoperated for a time greater than that required for .moving one new lampinte position.

12. In a signal device, in combination, a lamp carrier for a pluralityof lamps movable for posi tioning the lamps successively, a lamp circuithaving terminals for connecting the positioned lamp in the circuit, andlamp. changing means operative on failure of thepositioned lamp to movethe carrier to position another'larnp, said lamp changing meansincluding an electric driving motor adapted to operate so long as cur,-rent is supplied thereto, circuit connectionsfor supplying current tosaid motor, and means aCtuated byflow of current in the lamp circuit toprevent supply of current to said motor.

13. In a signal device, in combination, a lamp carrier for a pluralityof lamps movable for positioning. the lamps successively, a lamp circuithaving terminals for connecting the positioned lamps in the circuit, andlamp changing means operative on failure of the positioned lamp to movethe carrier to position another lamp, said lamp changing means includinga vibratoryarmature electromagnetic driving motor adapted to operate solong as current is supplied thereto, circuit connections for supplyingcurrent to said motor, and means actuated by flow of current in the lampcircuit to prevent supply of current to said motor.

14. In a flashing light signal device, in combination, a lamp carrierfor. a plurality of lamps movable for positioning the lampssuccessively,

a lamp circuit having terminals for connecting the positioned lamp inthe circuit, a source of intermittent current for supplying the lampcircuit, and means operative on failure of the posi: tioned lamp to movethe carrier to position a succeeding lamp, said means including anelectromagnetic driving motor adapted to operate so long as current issupplied thereto'in a shunt circuit across said source of intermittentcurrent, means actuated by fiow oi current in the lamp circuit toprevent supply of current to said motor, and means operated by saidmotor to cause cur.- rent to be supplied to saidrnotor continuouslyuntil the lamp circuit is again completed through a positioned lamp. I

15. In a flashing light signal device, in combination, a lamp carrierfor a plurality of lamps movable for ositioning the lamps successively,a lamp circuit having terminals for connecting the positioned lamp inthe circuit, a source of current for supplying the lamp circuit, acurrent inmrrupter for intermittently interrupting the current inthelamp circuit, and means oper ative on failure of the positioned lamp tomove the carrier to position a succeeding lamp, said means including anelectromagnetic driving motor connected in parallel withthe lamp acrosssaid source, or current in series with said interrupter, means actuatedby flow of current in the lamp circuit to prevent supply of current tosaid motor, and a switch operated by the lamp carrier to shunt saidinterrupter and to open the shunt when the circuit is again. completedthrough a positioned lamp.

l6. Afiashing light signal device, comprising a lamp carrier for aplurality of lamps movable for pcsitioning'th lamps successively, aplurality of contacts set in recesses in a plate of insulating materialmovable with the carrier, a lamp circuit including va'spring contact inposition to engage one of contacts movable with the carrier when a lampis in position to close the circuit the positioned lamp, a source ofintermittent current for supplying the lamp circuit, and means operativeon failure of the positioned lamp to move the carrier to position asucceeding lamp, said'means including an electromagnetic driving motorin a shunt circuit across said source or intermittent current, meansactuated by flow of current in the lamp circuit to pre vent supply 2 ofcurrent to said motor, and a contact positioned to be engaged by saidspring contact Whenb-y movement of the carrier the spring contact ismoved out of one of said contact recesses, whereby a circuit is closedto supply current continuously to said motor until the lamp circuit isaga'n completed through a positioned lamp. 1 q 1 17. A signal device,comprising a lamp carrier for a plurality of lamps movable forpositioning the lamps successively, a lamp circuit including means forconnecting the positioned lamp in the circuit, and means operative onfailure of the positioned lamp to move the carrier to position anotherlamp, said means including an electrothe lamp circuit in series with thelamp for operating switch to cut cif the supply of current to the motorwhen current flows in the lamp circuit.

CHARLES F. WALLACE.

JOHN R. MACKAY.

